Vocabulary

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Cara: “I’ll wake up and I’ll go on my phone. I’ll check my emails from customers and from the suppliers to make sure everything’s okay. And then afterwards I’ll go and change it’s my uniform and have my breakfast and then I’ll go to school.”

That’s just a typical start to the day for young entrepreneur, Cara. She started an e-commerce business selling jewelry last year.

Cara: “The actual branch e-commerce that I do is called dropshipping which is where you don’t actually physically touch the stock or you don’t hold any physical stock, but you’re taking the product from the factory and then just bringing it directly to the customer.”

She started her business by selling her old Christmas present.

Cara: “I think it’s really important to be financially independent because you learn to take control of things and you learn to, at a young age, have an appreciation for money and you’re also able to take control of things you really want to do like traveling or like going out with friends and you’re not at the mercy of your parents or your parents money.”

Cara’s parents were surprised when she told them about it.

They’ve learned over time now that it’s not a really big deal. And I think when I first told them about it, they were like, “Wait, what?” because they were confused about how is the earning the money; and they weren’t sure if it was actually legal.

But now because I’ve told them so much about it, they’re okay of it and it’s become a daily thing, like just working a normal job.”

Ninety percent of Cara’s clients are in America, and so won’t know it’s a teenager running the business.

Cara: “So when I first start is getting complaint emails, I was like ‘Oh my god this is really stressful.’

But I think you just have to learn that what people say in an email, they’re expecting they’re talking to a middle-aged big call centers; they’re not expecting to talk to a 14-year old. I know these people would never say these things in real life so you have to respect them still, and you can’t answer back in a rude way. So I try to just be courteous.”

Twenty percent of her profits go to various charities she has chosen. She has also taught herself to code to create her company website.

Here’s Cara’s Top Tips.

Tip One: “You have everything that you need on your phone, and that in our world today it’s so accessible to start anything with just your phone.

Tip Two: “Look up on YouTube all the free videos that are out there.”

Tip Three: “While you’re young make the best use of your time.”

 

 

Questions

1. Every morning, Cara gets up, then has breakfast, brushes her teeth, change clothes and go to school. Is this entirely true, mostly true, in the middle, yes and no, sometimes, largely false or totally false?

2. Does she trade stocks and bonds online? Is she an online stock broker?

3. Cara has a room full of jewelry to package and mail to customers. Is this right or wrong?

4. Does she like to ask or beg her parents for money? Does she receive an allowance?

5. Cara’s parents showed her how to do business online. Is this correct or incorrect?

6. Does she have to deal with customer complains? Does she provide customer service?

7. Cara says you need to go to university, you need to study computers and business and have a big office. Yes or no?

 

A. I do online work, or my friend or my parents’ friend does online work. Yes or no?

B. My friends and I would like to work online or have an online business.

C. What are the advantages, upsides, benefits or pros of working online from home?

D. Do you or your friends have ideas for an online business or work?

E. What will happen in the future?